


Promise

by kunoichihatake



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:14:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29725392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kunoichihatake/pseuds/kunoichihatake
Summary: Prompt: “You should do a fic where the reader and naruto were childhood best friends and she leaves the leaf village for some reason and when she comes back her and naruto catches up on each other and she starts to train boruto” + “Promise - naruto x reader? (Maybe they made a promise when they were kids and broken it idk just pls make it angsty)” for my 100 followers celebrationAs always, check out my tumblr @kunoichihatake! I'm much more active there and my requests are always open (though I write slowly) 💞
Relationships: Uzumaki Naruto/Reader
Kudos: 10





	Promise

“Hey, quit that!” You set your hands firmly on your hips and glared at the kids in front of you. Three boys from the Academy were picking on another boy with bright blonde hair and blue eyes. The poor kid was going to get beat to a pulp if no one stepped in, and for some reason no one around seemed to want to interfere.

The three boys whipped their heads around in fear, but soon began to snicker once they saw you. A 6 year old girl in a little pink dress wouldn’t scare them, sure. But you knew what would.

“My grandpa’s the Hokage. If you don’t stop being mean, I’ll tell him to kick you out of the Academy.” The boys’ smug faces soon turned white. They mumbled half-hearted apologies and scurried away without a glance back at you.

“Wow, you saved me!” The blonde-haired kid stood up, brushing off his clothes. You were glad to see he wasn’t hurt other than a few scratches. “I thought they were going to pummel me,” he said sheepishly.

You smiled at him and held out your hand. “My name is Y/n Sarutobi.”

The boy smiled and took your hand. “I’m Naruto Uzumaki. I’m going to be the Hokage one day!”

“My grandpa is the Hokage. It seems pretty hard.”

“That won’t be a problem for me.” He flashed you a bright white grin. You giggled. “Hey, Y/n?”

“Yeah?”

“How can I repay you for this?”

You shook your head. “Don’t worry about it.”

Naruto grinned sheepishly. “I know. I’ll just marry you one day and then you’ll get to be the Hokage’s wife!”

You were taken aback for a second, but managed a smile. _The Hokage’s wife. That seems nice._

“What do you think?”

“Yeah, that’d be cool.”

“Then it’s a promise!” The blonde-haired boy grinned brightly again and gave you a thumbs up, and you swore you felt your heart skip a beat.

_It’s a promise._

* * *

You knew it was dumb to hang on to a promise you made when you were six. So many things had changed since then: your grandfather had died and Konoha was on its seventh Hokage, who was no other than Naruto Uzumaki himself. Fifteen years ago, the ninja world had experienced a war that had been unimaginable mere months prior, one that threatened the very existence of humankind. And in every battle, Naruto had emerged the hero. His team was the sole reason that humans still existed and weren’t trapped in an infinite dreamworld, and he was admired by everyone for his strength and kindheartedness.

For nearly 30 years, you had worked quietly in the shadows, watching Naruto as he grew from an obnoxious kid who everyone in the village hated to a shinobi on the level of the gods who garnered respect from every corner of the ninja world. And you had watched as he took Hinata Hyuga’s hand on that battlefield for the first time and ultimately decided to make her his wife. Hinata was lovely, sure, and you know she made Naruto happy.

But she wasn’t you.

That promise you had made all those years ago still hung heavy on your heart with each passing day. You had celebrated your 30th birthday a few years prior, but had never found someone who tugged on your heartstrings the way Naruto did. How could you settle for a mere man when you had held the sun in your hands?

 _I never got to hold him_ , you reminded yourself. Since that first meeting, you had been pushed to the corner of his life, a mere side character in his legacy. In the legend of Naruto Uzumaki, you wouldn’t even make an appearance, you were sure of it.

Until now.

Even if Naruto could never be yours, you realized that basking in the warmth of a sun you could never touch was better than lurking in the shadows. After spending fifteen years away from the village, working as a mercenary and discovering all the wonders that the world had to offer, you found yourself back in Konoha, which was now led by the man you had failed to get out of your mind since you were a child. And you found that your cousin Konohamaru, who had become a fine ninja himself, was leading a genin squad with no other than Naruto’s teenage son, Boruto.

After you visited one of the new Team 7’s training sessions, Boruto had taken a quick liking to you and decided he needed you and no one else to train him. You weren’t sure why; you were neither the strongest nor the smartest ninja out there, and Naruto had plenty of friends that would be better teachers to his son. But Boruto had set his mind on you being his teacher, and you weren’t about to turn him down.

He reminded you a lot of Naruto at his age: loud and obnoxious, with the strong Will of Fire your grandfather had driven into the hearts of all Leaf shinobi back when he was Hokage. You found Boruto to be crafty and sarcastic as well, and though he got on your nerves sometimes, you couldn’t help but admire the kid. If he continued to train hard, he might even surpass his father one day – and you would love to take some pride in helping him become so strong.

You were training with Boruto one day when his father decided to make a rare appearance. You were in the middle of explaining a new jutsu when you saw Boruto’s face light up, and you turned around to see Naruto peeking through the trees. When you met his eyes, he raised a hand in greeting. You waved back, feeling a grin spread across your face. Boruto and Naruto had had a rocky relationship for a while, since Boruto often felt abandoned by his father’s absence and Naruto was too swamped with Hokage duties to be present more often than he was; but recently, the two had come to an understanding, and were starting to grow closer. After hearing Boruto complain for months about his father never being around and knowing Naruto was working himself half to death every day while wishing he could be with his family instead, you were glad to see that they were starting to heal their strained relationship.

“How’s training going?” Naruto asked, walking over to the two of you with his hands in his pockets.

“Great! Y/n-sensei is going to teach me a new jutsu!” Boruto said, excitement shining in his blue eyes. _He’s so much like his father_ ,you couldn’t help but think. And yet, a small part of your heart still ached that he wasn’t your son.

“Is that so?” Naruto turned to you and smiled. “You seem to be training my son well.”

You gave him a small smile. “I do my best for the Hokage’s son.” Naruto grinned.

“Boruto, why don’t you run home and tell mom I’ll be there for dinner?” Boruto nodded, a smile spreading across his face, and darted off. You and Naruto watched as his son disappeared between the trees, and then the two of you turned to each other once more. “So, how’s life been treating you? It’s been a while,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

You chuckled slightly. “Yeah, it has been. I’m okay. How’s being Hokage?”

Naruto sighed heavily. “So busy, it’s crazy. And boring!” You couldn’t help but let out a laugh at his expression.

“Well, it is a time of peace. Unfortunate for you, but fortunate for the rest of us.”

Naruto groaned. “You’ve got that right. If I didn’t have Shikamaru, I don’t think I’d make it.” His expression sorted itself back into a small smile. “But what have you been up to, other than training my son? Managed to find anyone you’re interested in yet? I know Shino is still single…”

“He’s not my type,” you said, giggling nervously. You were a bit taken aback by his question, and unsure of how to respond. _How do I tell him that the only man I’ve ever wanted to love is standing right in front of me?_

“What about Kiba, then?” You shook your head. Sure, Kiba was fairly similar in personality to Naruto, but close was never enough.

“Naruto,” you began, feeling your voice waver. _Should I tell him?_

“What is it?” he asked with complete sincerity. You had to tell him now; you were in too deep at this point.

You swallowed deeply. “Do you remember the day we met?” Naruto paused for a moment, thinking, and then nodded.

“Yeah, you saved me from those bullies.”

“Do you remember what you said to me?”

Naruto looked taken aback, and his eyes searched yours for the answer, deep blue skies you could get lost in if you allowed yourself to. “No, I don’t.”

Your heart was pounding now, your stomach tying itself in knots over and over. You took a deep breath. “You said you’d marry me one day. Do you remember that?”

Naruto blinked, awestruck for a second, then nodded. “Yeah, I think I do.” You finally managed to look into his eyes, really look, and let him see the pain you’d hidden for almost 30 years.

“I loved you, Naruto. I always have. And the reason I’ve never been with anyone is that no one has ever compared to you.” You stared down at your shoes, unable to meet his eyes any longer. A fat teardrop fell from your eye, leaving a dark circle on the top of your sandals.

“Y/n, I…” he started, but you shook your head.

“I know. I know you’re married, and it’s far too late for me to be telling you this now.” You took a deep breath and looked up again, managing to raise your gaze up to his chin, to his lips that had smiled at you so many times. _Those lips I’ll never get to kiss._ “I just needed to get that off my chest.”

Naruto nodded, and an awkward silence fell over the two of you, almost tangibly painful. You took a deep breath, wiping your face.

“Well, I should go,” you said, readjusting your bag on your waist.

“Y/n–” Naruto started, but you had already turned and darted away, feeling the tears stream down your face as you flew through the trees.

* * *

It took you two weeks to find him, but you finally managed to track him down. You pushed open the door to the tavern, glad to see the black-cloaked man seated at the bar just in front of you. He turned around when you entered, almost as if he could sense the presence of a former comrade.

“Y/n,” he said, his one exposed eye staring at you. “What are you doing here?”

“I want to join you, Sasuke,” you said, placing your hands on your hips.

Sasuke sighed. “I work alone. I don’t need help.”

“Please,” you said, the desperation beginning to show in your voice. Sasuke stared at you, his eye searching your face.

He spoke after a moment’s silence. “You finally told him, huh?”

“Yeah,” you said quietly, the pain beginning to well in your heart again. Sasuke nodded, then turned around and gestured to the seat next to him.

“Sit. I’ll buy you a drink.”


End file.
